There really isn’t much polling on Katrina but I found this disturbing. An AugustCBS News/New York Times Poll asked this question…
“From what you have heard or read, how much progress has been made so far in rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast: a lot, some, not much, none at all, or don’t you know enough about it yet to say?”
30% responded that they were Unsure
That really is startling that almost a third simply do not know what is happening.
Then there is this. Astudy on Katrina Media Coverage from August 24, 2005-July 21, 2006 by the Partnership for Public Service found among other things…
As with other disasters, the attention of the media and the public outside of the affected region did not remain on the story for long. The attention of readers and viewers moved on to other topics.
SNIP
The top ten papers published less than 25% of the number of stories about Hurricane Katrina in June 2006 as they did in October 2005.
I always wonder whose attention goes first…the press and media or readers and viewers. Say even if it is the latter then what is the responsibility of the press? It really is more than an academic question. The study also found…
A final conclusion can be drawn less from what was covered than from what was omitted. There has been little discussion of the lessons learned and the specific remedies to the challenges encountered during the response.
We simply haven’t learned the lessons from the worst disaster to ever hit the United States. It really is breathtaking considering the future consequences.